I checked 8 home monitoring cameras. And I chose the best

1. SPIDER'S WEB
2. Technologies
3. Tech
4. Equipment

Video: 720p, 25fps

Contrary to the name, this camera is not completely miniature - it measures approx. 11 cm high and 6 cm wide. However, it is undoubtedly one of the nicer cameras at this price. The white plastic from which it was made does not throw you on your knees, but the whole thing looks coherent, nice and modern.

The Mini O deserves additional advantages for several reasons. First of all, it has a fairly wide range of adjustments, thanks to the main part of the camera being mounted on a ball hinge. In addition, the power cable (microUSB) is not only very, very long, but it is not the entirety of the charger, so you can easily replace it with a shorter or longer one.

The base of the Mini O is also surprisingly stable. Even though the cable connects to the top of the camera and not to the base (which is a much better solution), it does not affect the setup of the set in any way. However, if this was not enough for us, the set includes a magnetic mounting plate to which we can attach the Mini O.

From the technical side, the Mini O is rather a device from the basic category. The maximum resolution is 720p, at 25 frames per second. In addition, we have a night mode, motion detection, microphone, speaker, microSD card connector (up to 128 GB) and WiFi connectivity - 2.4 GHz, b / g / n.

And at this point, two disadvantages must be mentioned. First of all, the lens offers a viewing angle of 92 degrees, which is worse than some of the competition's products. So if we want to monitor a small room, we should look for something wider.

The second problem is ... very loud noise when switching to night mode. It almost sounds as if someone is reloading a rifle, which can be irritating especially when the camera is placed near a bedroom, for example. Plus, if someone breaks into your home, they'll know right away that they're being taped.

However, if these two shortcomings do not bother us, it is difficult to fault the Ezviz camera. The almost imperceptible transmission delay is great, as well as a very, very sensitive microphone. The loudspeaker is slightly inferior in quality, but it is still enough for occasional communication.

Despite its low price and a maximum resolution of 720p, the Mini O delivers surprisingly good image quality - both during the day and at night. It will not be able to compete with GoPro Hero6 Black, but we can easily check at any time if and what is happening in the monitored room. Even in complete darkness.

The EZVIV application also works flawlessly. It works (usually) quickly, is easy to use and configure, and all options are described in a simple and legible way.

As for the configuration, it is rather standard. We can turn on or off motion alarms and automatic video recording, turn on or off the sound, turn on or off the indicator light, plan the monitoring schedule, change the sensitivity of motion detection, and also determine whether the camera should additionally beep when motion is detected. I assure you - at the highest level of this alarm, you can wake up half the house.

An additional plus - you can secure access to the application with a fingerprint or FaceID.

Conclusions? A very good proposition at this price.

D-Link DCS-P6000LH Mini - PLN 179

(out of promotion price: PLN 199)

Video: 720p, 30fps

Also mini by name, and this time it can actually be considered true. The D-Link camera is 10 cm high, but only slightly more than 3 cm in diameter, so it can be easily stuffed on a cupboard, e.g. next to books.

Unfortunately, the disadvantages of the DCS-P6000LH Mini must be mentioned at this point. Of the smaller ones - the charging cable (microUSB) is quite short and integrated with the charger. So if we want to place the camera further from the socket, we have to buy a whole new set, instead of just the cable. In addition, the small turret is so light that it is very easy to overturn it. And of course it shoots when switching to night mode.

This is nothing compared to the fact that the D-Link camera lacked any local recording option. If we want to store the recorded material, we have to pay. There are three plans - basic for three cameras for 2.5 euros a month or 25 euros a year, Premium - for five cameras for 5/50 euros and Pro - for 10 cameras for 10/100 euros.

As a result, it is difficult to say that the camera costs PLN 179. If it is to reach its full potential, it costs PLN 179 plus at least PLN 100 a year.

Nor am I able to write that I am a fan of the Mydlink app. The iOS version is prepared completely sloppy, and is full of references to other smart home devices from D-Link that not everyone wants to use. As a result, reaching specific camera settings can take far too long. What's worst - even if we get there once, there is no guarantee that we will get it faster the second time ...

However, if you ignore this problem (you can get to the preview of the camera image very quickly), then the DCS-P6000LH Mini has a lot of advantages. The transmission delay is very small, and the quality - though a bit worse than in the Mini O - is absolutely adequate. In addition, there is a really wide viewing angle - as much as 120 degrees, which is one of the better results in this comparison. Unfortunately, the camera - due to its construction - does not have the ability to adjust the angle of the lens, which makes it a bit difficult to position it properly.

Of course, we can define the monitored areas ourselves, the sensitivity of motion detection, turn on or off the microphone, and turn off the diode signaling the activation of the camera. It is also possible to program time intervals when the camera will not record any image.

And everything would be great, if it were not for the lack of cost-free data logging and the inability to adjust the angle of the lens.

PS. Additional award for informing that the camera has been disconnected / lost connection.

Xiaoyi Yi Home HD LED - 189 PLN

Video: 720p, 24 frames per second

The Xiaoyi camera may not be distinguished by parameters, but it deserves attention for several reasons.

First of all, it looks the best compared to the competition, especially in the tested, matt gray version. In addition, it has a solid, large base, so there is no reason to worry that a slight nudge will knock it over.

It also has by far the best - especially after the update - application. It works very quickly, is very easy to use, has a reasonably prepared timeline and clear settings. In addition, it offers all the options it should - from turning off the indicator light, through setting notifications for motion detection and monitoring zones, to monitoring schedule or simple sharing of the camera view with friends and family. The Xiaoyi camera and app was definitely the best at sending notifications to a smartphone as well.

Yi Home HD also allows you to freely choose where you want to save your videos. We can store them either on a memory card or in the cloud. Unfortunately, in both cases we will encounter certain limitations. When it comes to recording material on memory cards, we are limited to 32 GB - the camera simply will not accept larger cards. If, however, we choose the cloud, a monthly subscription for one camera and recording of detected motion will cost us 8 euros per month. 22 euro if we have more than one camera (but less than 5).

However, when it comes to the quality of the recordings, it is - especially at this price - completely sufficient. The viewing angle is very wide (111 degrees), and despite the fact that video is recorded only in 720p, it should be enough for home monitoring. Maybe it would be nice to reduce the contrast that is completely unnecessary with such recordings, but it is definitely not bad. The method of lighting the room and the range of this lighting are also sensible.

You can only have three reservations. First of all, the Yi Home HD camera is one of the largest surface cameras in the test. Secondly, the gray coating on the front is very easy to scratch, significantly reducing the aesthetic value of the camera. Thirdly, the speaker built into the camera is of rather poor quality. On the product page you can read that you can, for example, read fairy tales to children. I suspect they may be severely traumatized after this.

Fortunately, these are minor reservations, which can be rewarded with a few nice additions, such as a very long power cord. Which, unfortunately, does not match the color of the camera ...

PS. The white version is 10 PLN cheaper. But take gray.

D-Link DSC-932L - PLN 199

Video: 480p, 20 frames per second (30 frames at 240p)

The fact that the DSC-932L is a traveler from the past (premiere in 2012) is evidenced by two elements. One of them is a sticker on the casing, according to which, before connecting the camera, you should first insert a CD into the computer. The second - the maximum resolution of the recorded image, narrow viewing angle and a rather dark lens (2.8).

Of course, 480p is sufficient for basic monitoring, but the image quality recorded by the DSC-932L is definitely below what absolutely all rivals from this list offer. If that was not enough, from the level of the mobile application when connected via WiFi, the image quality is a maximum of ... 240p.

If that was not enough, it is a typical camera for preview and notifications. There is neither a slot for a memory card, nor is it supported by the D-Link cloud. So we will receive a notification on the phone when motion or sound is detected - both of these options work perfectly. However, in such a situation, we have to switch to the camera preview - the only thing we can count on without this is sending us a photo of the moment the motion is detected by e-mail.

I also had a hard time connecting the DSC-932L to the new mydlink app. Only after configuring with the older mydlink Lite application did the whole thing start working properly.

So what is so interesting about the DSC-932L that it was included in the list? First of all, it is one of the few cameras in the list that does not require a WiFi connection. Yes, it can be configured this way, but if we do not have a wireless network at home (or we do not trust it), we can connect it directly to the router or switch using an ethernet cable.

A plus is also due to a large stand and very wide adjustment possibilities. At the same time, we would like to place the camera somewhere in the garage or utility room - it is definitely not very living room. You just have to take care of an outlet nearby - the DSC-932L has its own power connector and a not too long cable.

Alternatively, we can just consider that in 2019 the sense of buying a seven-year-old camera is debatable.

PS. Additional award for informing that the camera has been disconnected / lost connection.

Dahua IPC-C12P HD - 159 PLN

Video: 720p, up to 25fps

The cheapest camera in this list, although nothing at first glance suggests that it is worse than the competition.

Yes, it is quite large, clearly larger than Xiaoyi Yi Home HD LED, but thanks to this - as well as a solid and large base (kit for mounting e.g. on the wall included) - it will be difficult to knock it down.

In addition, it offers 114-degree viewing angle, WiFi connectivity, 720p image recording and - most importantly - memory card slot up to 64 GB, which is twice as large as the slightly more expensive rival from Xiaoyi. It also has basically everything you can expect from a cheap camera - motion detection, two-way voice communication and a suitable mobile application.

So where's the catch?

Well, probably in part in a brand that is little known to the average customer. Dahua says nothing to most consumers. If they enter that name in the App Store, for example, they'll get results ... mostly unrelated to the right company. If, in turn, we scan the QR code from the packaging, we will be redirected to the Imou application, created by Zhejiang Dahua Technology. Still nothing is known.

The application itself is quite pleasant to use, but you can see that not too much attention was paid to its preparation in some places. For example, at one of the C12 configuration stages, we are asked to connect ... a network cable. In a device where such a cable has nowhere to insert and whose identification is done using a QR code!

The entire configuration process is either badly described or wrong. In the end, the camera was able to connect to the network via WPS on a "and maybe it will work" principle. If that wasn't enough, most of the Polish buttons and descriptions are hopelessly translated. Either they do not make sense (e.g. we do not update the device, only ... the cloud), or they do not fit in the frames.

There are also individual errors in the basic functions of the camera. For example, voice communication stops working from time to time. The connection is either not established at all or is established with such a delay that you may get scared after some time hearing your own voice coming from the camera cabinet.

It's a pity for these mishaps, because apart from that, the video quality is satisfactory and the application is really good. It works quickly, efficiently, is easy to use and you can write that it is almost as good as the Xiaoyi application. Maybe partly because he is to some extent ... a copy of it.

On the plus side, the Dahua IPC-C12P HD also speaks for, among others, integration with IFTTT.

If only minor errors could be corrected and the translation into Polish could be improved (or withdrawn from it at all) - who knows, maybe it would be the winner of this test?

PS. Additional award for informing that the camera has been disconnected / lost connection.

Edimax IC-7112W - 195 PLN

Video: 720p, up to 30fps

This camera may not be the most beautiful, but it has one hard-to-beat advantage - it can be remotely controlled, over a range of 120 degrees vertically and 355 degrees horizontally. This means that if we set it appropriately, nothing will be hidden from our digital eye.

The Edimax IC-7112W is also the best and most universally equipped in this combination - it has both WiFi and an Ethernet connection, as well as a microSD card slot. If that was not enough, the set includes an extensive mounting kit, if we wanted to, for example, mount the camera on a wall or under the ceiling, which makes the most sense.

It is a bit worse with an application that is simply bad. It is ugly, not overly intuitive, badly translated into Polish, and in the iOS version (at least on the iPhone XS Max), it does not support a key element for some reason - remote camera rotation. Therefore, we are left with 78 degrees, which is a rather modest result, unless we have an Android phone.

Interestingly, using the browser interface, you can easily get to the appropriate settings. Another thing is that the settings from the website are much more convenient and easier to control than in the case of the application. Not to mention the fact that after a few days the app on your iPhone simply stopped working, freezing forever on the start screen.

The image quality is not outstanding, but it is at the most acceptable level. In addition, the notifications work as well as possible, and among the target video recording options are, among others US. So we do not have to worry about the lack of space on the memory card in the device.

The disadvantages of the camera also include a non-standard (read: non-microUSB) power cord, which is not too long

EZVIZ Mini Plus - PLN 209

Video: 1080p, 30fps

Why Plus? Maybe because, for example, in relation to the Mini O, the Plus version is better in almost every respect. Resolution? 1080p. Viewing angle? 135 degrees (the best in the list). In addition, it is the only camera in the list that is able to connect to 5 GHz networks. Theoretically, it should also have the greatest range in night mode (up to 7 m), and a bright lens (f / 2.0) should provide good results in most conditions.

In addition, the Mini Plus has everything that a security camera should have - from a microSD card connector, through automatic video recording when motion is detected, to a good enough application - one of the best in this list.

By the way, this camera is actually mini - it is smaller than most devices in this set, and the location of the lens on the head allows for wide adjustment. It is a pity that the stand is quite light and with standard assembly, e.g. by placing it on a shelf, it is quite easy to rub and move it.

With Ezviz Mini Plus, I had only one problem - it could not be connected to the application using the iPhone for nothing in the world. With Android, the first configuration was flawless, and the camera was assigned to the account and was visible from the level of other devices. Interestingly, there were no such problems with the Mini O.

When it comes to video quality, the most important thing is the really wide viewing angle, which in the case of home monitoring cameras is more important than resolution. However, it is difficult - especially with night shots - to notice a huge difference in the image quality itself. Yes, the details are a bit more and the image is a bit sharper, but I'm not sure if I would pay extra for this element only. However, a wider angle is something else.

It is worth paying attention to the fact that there is one reason why the Mini Plus outclasses most rivals in terms of parameters. As standard, it is more than twice as expensive and costs PLN 399 in normal sale. The current promotion, however, brings it down to the level of PLN 249.

PS. Unfortunately, when recording video from the phone, you cannot force recording in 1080p quality. The maximum resolution available is 720p.

PS. There is also a black version, but more expensive by PLN 40.

Edimax IC-3210W - PLN 199

Video quality: 480p

A very interesting idea and very simple execution. But maybe let's start with the former.

The IC-3210W is the only camera in this list that does not require plugging into a socket. Yes - we put two rechargeable batteries or batteries inside and we can put our recorder anywhere. Or change its location depending on our needs. If we do not trust the batteries, we can connect the IC-3210W to a powerbank or a regular charger - in the housing we will find a microUSB connector. If, on the other hand, we do not want to put the IC-3210W anywhere, we can attach it to a really well thought-out magnetic holder.

Not only that - the IC-3210W is the only camera in the list that can save video recordings directly to Dropbox or Google Drive. In addition - just like the second Edimax camera from this list - on a NAS or memory card.

In the housing of the camera itself, however, we will not find a suitable card slot. This is located in the bridge included in the set, which is necessary for the proper functioning of the camera. And here is the problem - in some homes it will be another bridge that needs to be connected to the router, in which there may simply be no room left. On the other hand, you can connect up to four cameras to such a bridge, so this is a plus. Just like the fact that we put the SD card into this bridge, so even if someone steals the camera, the data remains safe.

In addition, the IC-3210W can still boast of an effective voice detection. But that would be it.

I will no longer bully the EdiLife app, which is a nightmare - functional, aesthetic and linguistic. Unfortunately, the camera itself can also be accused of a lot. For example, the maximum resolution is 480p. Or that the 2.8 lens is not too bright. Or that the 58-degree viewing angle is absolutely too small for a home surveillance camera. Or that the night mode is practically non-existent. Or even though the camera has been updated to the latest software version, connectivity problems occur regularly (on two different phones). Or that the batteries included in the set died before the end of the day and I did not receive a single (!) Notification about it.

The IC-3210W, against the background of similarly priced competition, defends itself only with mobility unavailable to others. But other than that ... it's better not to take it into account.

Which one should you choose?

Most of the cameras I tested over the past weeks have had some strengths. Even those that did not impress with the quality of the image, somehow stood out from the others - a rotating head, and the possibility of operating without connecting to the power supply, and the small size or the option of connecting to a router via a cable.

But when it comes to spending money, all these features - quite secondary in my case - fall into the background. Ultimately, I narrowed down the requirements to:

Ultimately, two cameras remained on the battlefield - Dahua IPC-C12P HD and Xiaoyi Yi Home HD LED. The first one has the advantage that it is just ok, and it costs only PLN 159, but it has a not fully refined and not fully reliable application. The latter, on the other hand, looks the best from the entire list, it is smaller than Dahua, and besides, it is ok, and you cannot fault the quality of the application at all. Which, moreover, received a significant update during the tests. However, if I were to buy a home camera (and I will be doing it soon), I would choose ... yes, Xiaoyi Yi Home HD LED.

Undoubtedly, both Ezviz cameras deserve a distinction - especially the Mini Plus (as long as it is on sale), with the widest angle of view and the best technical parameters.

* All cameras for testing were provided by the X-Kom store. Thank you!